This invention relates generally to separation of three fluid phases--gas, oil and water, and more particularly concerns achieving such separation using rotating separator apparatus. In addition, the invention concerns methods of operating rotary separator apparatus in relation to scoop means immersed in a liquid ring on the rotary separator and to weir means to isolate fluid shear forces produced by the scoop means from the separation portions of the rotary separator. Solids entrained in the flow must also be separated.
In existing non-rotary methods, a large gravity separation tank is required to be used, and only partial separation of oil and water phases is achievable. Therefore, additional treatment is required for separating those constituents. Secondary treatment methods require expenditure of large amounts of power, as for example via high speed centrifuges.
Another advantage is the size and weight of the required vessels. For offshore oil and gas productions, the large separation vessels require large, expensive structures to support their weight.
There is need for improved means to efficiently achieve separation of the three phases--gas, oil and water; further, there is need to achieve such separation in a mixture of such fluids passed through a nozzle, as in a jet stream.